Fire escape chute mounting



May 1945. E H. D. ELWOOD 2,375,407

FIRE ESCAPE CHUTE MOUNTING Filed Jul 14, 1943 INVENTOR.

HAELAND D- ELWOOD H/S ATTOEN Patented May s, 1945 UNITED STATES. PATENTOFFICE FIRE ESCAPE CHUTE MOUNTING Harland D. Elwood, Detroit, Mich.,asslgnor of one-half to Lewis A. Eastman, Wyandotte,

Mich.

Application Ju1 '14, 1943, Serial No. 494,667

. 4 Claims.

This invention relates to fire escape apparatus and particularly tterminal supporting frames and mountings for flexible chutes, such asdisclosed in Patent 2,297,544, dated Sept. 29, 1942.

An object of the invention is the provision of a device of the characterreferred to, which can be stored and transported, together with thechute, in a fiat condition and in a compact space.

Another objectof the invention is the provision of a device which canreadily be carried in a small space on a fire department vehicle, and

can be used in localities where vertical distances to be reached do notexceed forty feet.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device havingpivoted wings for supporting the flexible chute, which wingsextendbeyond the walls of the building, and can be rotated, 50 a vantages ofthe invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds,reference being made from time to time. to the accompanying drawing inwhich: I

Fig. l is a rear elevation of a device embodying my invention, inposition on the inside of a window frame.

Fig, 2 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged frag entarydetail illustrating the manner in whichthe chute support-, ing bar is mounted.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the frame with the flexible chutedetached Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will beunderstood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the device consistsof a. pair of rectangular members 6, which aremounted to the crossmember 1. The rectangular members 6 are preferably made of sections ofhollow steel tubing joined by means of welding and finished in anysuitable manner. Pivoted as at 8, to the inside vertical strut-9, of therectangular members 6, are rotatable wings H), which are preferably madeof a single length of steel tubing bent to the conformation shown inFig. 4. Wings 10 are provided with chute supporting members ll, l2, andl3. A removable bar I4, is mounted above the cross-member 'l, betweenthe struts 9, of the The foregoing and other objects and adterminalrectangular members 6, and is held at either end in .U-shaped brackets15, which are welded to the cross-bar I and the vertical strut 9. A boltIt prevents the bar M from being dislodged from the U shaped bracket [5.The rectangular members 6 are provided with rings H, to which a carryingstrap may be attached.

The chute I8 is provided with an extension member l9, which in turn isformed with a loop 20, which is adapted to engage the removable bar M.The sides of the chute l8 are secured, by any suitable means, tojthemembers ll, I2, and I3 carried on the rotatable wings ID. The chute I8is preferably left attached to the terminal frame at all times. 1However, it can be carried separately and attached to the frame prior touse. When the frame andthe chute are carried in assembled condition, thewings in of the device lie flat against the rectangular members 6, andthe chute in folded condition is held closely along-side the device.When an operator arrives at the scene of a fire, the chute is unfoldedand the terminal frame, together with one end of the chute is carried upa ladder and inserted through an open window of the building to theinside. The rectangular members 8 are then placed in position on theinside of the windowlframe and serve as abutment membersto distributethe stresses and strains over a wide area. One or two men on the groundthen hold. the free end of the chute and the device is ready I for use..

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination of a pair ofrectangular abutment members connected by a tie rod, said abutmentmembers being adapted to contact the inside walls of a building oneither side of'a window opening each of said abutment members having awing pivoted to one of its vertical struts, said wings being arranged toextend through. said window opening.

2. The combination defined in claim 1', including a removable barpositioned between the abutment members and parallel to said tie rod.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, in which the said wings areprovided with means to support a flexible chute.

4. In a device of the'character described the combinationof a pair ofrectangular abutment wings being shaped in the form of a trapezium, a

removable barfmounted between said abutment members, and means on saidwings, adapted to cooperate with said removable barto support a flexiblechute.

HARLAND'D. 'ELWOOD.

